Musings – July 2026
SUMMER 2026 – Beginning? or ending? …
I am writing this on the hottest day of the year (so far), a few days after the astronomical start of Summer (21stJune), a few weeks after the meteorological start of Summer (1st June), just before the end of the school term.
As with much of life, the seasons bring endings and beginnings. In the ebb and flow of life we must adapt and ride the mixed emotions which come with the constant change we face.
Many of our children will be changing school at the end of their Summer Holiday – some will be glad to go to the ‘big’ school, others will be fearful of what it will bring for them. For parents, it means guiding children through the emotional rollercoaster that this particular change will bring with it. Hopefully, learning to face this change will give children the tools to face the ‘changes and chances’ which crop up throughout life.
In a country where we cannot trust the weather, how do we cope? Physically, the thermals are not yet in the loft. Vests may be off, but they are near at hand. Remember the frosts in May before the last mini heatwave? Waterproofs are never far away, either.
But what about life itself? We never know what ‘curve balls’ are coming our way. We need to be adaptable and well-grounded. Open to change, yet solidly fixed to our base.
Jesus told a parable about a Wise builder and a Foolish builder. The Foolish builder didn’t have a solid foundation so that when the storms came, the rain came down and the floods went up, his house was easily washed away in the torrent. The Wise builder took care over her foundation so that when the storms came, the rain came down and the floods went up, her house upon the rock stood still. I suspect some of you will have been singing the familiar song as you read that bit! Did you do the actions too!?
For Christians Jesus is the Rock, the foundation of our lives. Whatever goes on around us, we trust Him to be alongside us each step of the way. A bit like our seasonal wardrobes, Jesus is always at hand, nearby, whatever the storms of life bring. He goes through life’s ‘stuff’ with us.
Most of you will be familiar with the Footprints story – can you think of times when Jesus has carried you? Whether you asked Him or not!
Being part of something bigger can often help when we face the changes and challenges of life. Our family, our community, our congregations are all important ways of being together, meeting the chALLenges we face – see what I did there!?
The various Summer Activities in our communities help us come together to celebrate the good things which are not weather-dependent – each other. Join us in Dunscore Church, St Ninian’s Church, or even in the Gala Marquee, to find out more about how much God values you and those around you.
Whether Summer feels like a beginning or an ending, join us to put your life on a solid foundation – Jesus, the Rock.
May God Bless you.
